A Promise
by Confession68
Summary: SPOILER ALERT! CONTAINS HAPPENINGS FROM THE MOST RECENT CHAPTER! Their captain is sad and in need of comfort. Their journey is going to be a hard and long one, but for this brother, he will fulfill his dream. LuNa. Rated T for language. ONE SHOT.


**Author's Note: SPOILER WARNING ALERT!! FIC CONTAINS HAPPENINGS FROM THE RECENT CHAPTER JUST BARELY RELEASED TODAY!! **This is a one shot I thought of because of the latest chapter, and because of what Dart had said. So, I decided to write this very short one shot in memory of Ace. ;~; I hope you all enjoy it, though it be short …

**P.S. **I was listening to Katie Gray's Set Free while writing this. It's really fitting. You should give it a listen while reading this.

**P.P.S. **Sorry! DX I forgot to list it as complete! This was just a one shot! DX

**A Promise**

"Look! There's Luffy!"

"Luffy!" cried his crew with grins at finally seeing their captain again for the first time in days.

Their captain trudged towards them heavily, and his expression did not hold the joy they would have expected at seeing them again. Each face fell to one of confusion as they watched their captain as he approached them. His face was sullen and determined as he gave them all a once over and nodded in satisfaction that they were all there. Then he said, "Get ready to set sail. We leave immediately." He boarded the ship then, turning his back to them to head to the men's quarters, and their faces fell further.

"O-Oi, Luffy, aren't you glad to see us?" asked Usopp, frowning softly up at his captain's back, looking greatly confused and even a little hurt.

Chopper's lips began to quiver as he watched his usually exuberant and happy captain turn his back to them. "Luffy?"

"Luffy, what's going on? What's gotten into you?" asked Nami, also frowning softly.

Pausing with his head lowered and his hat hiding his features, he then slowly raised his chin slightly, and after a long silence, he finally said, "Ace is dead."

"What!?" cried his crew, all with looks of complete shock.

"I have to do what I promised to do. I have to fulfill my dream, because Ace is counting on me, even though … he said he couldn't be here to see it come to pass. I gotta do it for him. I can't be fuckin' around anymore. I saw what's ahead. I've gotta be stronger than what I am. Ace was stronger than me, and even he couldn't survive what's there. We _all_ have to be stronger. And I'm not going to waste another minute. We're going," he said, his words sullen and even, and though spoken quietly, those words carried to the hearts of his crew clearly. Their captain was in pain. However, their captain started to move again.

"Luffy!" cried Nami, quickly climbing up to board the ship, and then she ran in front of him to stop him. "Luffy?" she called again, her expression showing her concern and pain, though her captain would not meet her eyes. Her face began to contort as soft tears built, and then she threw her arms around him. "Luffy, I'm so sorry," she cried softly, holding him tight.

Her captain just crumpled then in her arms, wilting like a dying rose. The first sob escaped quietly, but then more followed, not being able to restrain his sadness any longer, now that Nami was there trying to comfort him. The sobs wrenched his body, becoming louder and louder as he exuded his sorrow. They dropped to the deck in a heap, and his navigator cried right along with him, just rocking him gently, back and forth, giving him all the comfort she had to offer.

The rest of his crew had expected a happy reunion, and instead, they came at a sad time indeed. Some tears soon followed as others stood by sullenly with their heads lowered in grief for their captain. It was going to be a tough and long journey ahead, and like he said, they were going to have to become stronger, if they were expected to survive and to not let their captain down.

"Ace," wailed Luffy softly, completely limp against his navigator. He had to be stronger. He had to live for his brother's sake. After all, his life had been forfeit so that he could live. He would do it. For his brother, he would do it. He would fulfill his dream, and fulfill that promise.

He will become the Pirate King.

**The End …**

**Author's Note: **I am so sad … I actually gave a sob reading this chapter today … I was crying … Just crying … And what Dart said about LuNa comfort, I got this idea and had to write it. So, there you have it. Hope you all enjoyed.


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